PICTON HOSPITAL BOARD.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 7, 9 January 1908, Page 5

PICTON HOSPITAL BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the j Picton Hospital Board was held at j Picton yesterday. There were pre-j sent:—Messrs Chaytor (Chairman), , Nees, Storey, Weaver, Simmahds, ] Bragg, Price, Riddell, D. Chaytof, H. \ McCormick and E. McCormick. MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. Tlie Medical Officer's report for the month of December showed that at the beginning of the month there were 12 patients in the institution, and 11 were admitted during the month, making a total of 23. Of^ these 10 were discharged cured and one was relieved, leaving 12 in the institution at the end of the month.' The report was adopted. OVERDUE ACCOUNTS. A short discussion took place over Mr Nesbitt's account alleged to be due to the hospital on account of treatment for his mother. After a short discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Bragg, seconded by Mr Simmonds, that the account be placed in the hands of a solicitor with instructions to" sue if necessary. DISPUTED ACCOUNT. A case was brought forward by Mr Nees in reference to the case of Mrs Barton, of Havelock, who objected to the charge for a special nurse in addition to the other amounts. 'It was pointed out that the Havelock institution was only a receiving home where patients were to be cared for until they could be sent to the hospital Mr Bragg moved that the amount charged for the nurse, amounting to £14, be struck out. The motion was seconded by N. Nees and carried unanimously. HOSPITAL RATE 1907-9. A letter was received from the Secretary to the New Zealand Treasury acknowledging the receipt of a letter from the oecretary of the Picton. Hospital Board requesting that the Hospital rate for 1907-8, amounting to £'205> 11s, be levied and collected from the portion of Sounds County within the Picton Hospital and Charitable Board district, and informing the Picton Hospital Board that necessary action/ would be taken. PROPOSED OLD MEN'S HOME. The Wairau Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote informing the Picton Board that Messrs Jas. Bell, Parker, and McCallum had been appointed to confer with three members of the Picton Board on the subject <J establishing a combined old men's home for the two districts. The letter also requested that a date be given upon which it would be convenient for the Pieton representatives to meet those from Blenheim. A long discussion took place as to the advisability of appointing delegates at this period. Mr Riddell thought it was rather premature to appoint delegates to confer with the Wairau Hospital Board in view of the new Bill which was to be brought before Parliament next session; they did not know what might come of it, and he thought they would be ill-advised to build an old men's home in Marlborough at all. He did not wish to go against the wishes of this Board, but he had had a long conversation with Dr Valentine and he really thought it would be better to wait until they saw what would be the outcome of the new Bill. He moved that the matter stand over. Mr Weaver had not heard anything from Mr Riddell to justify his motion. It simply meant wasting about 12 months. On this.! ground he could not support the motion. Mr D. Chaytor could not see that the meeting of delegates in Wellington, to which Mr Riddell had referred, would affect the matter at all. He did not think the matter should be hung back. . Mr Bragg thought it would be folly to erect an old men's home at present, and he would therefore support Mr Riddell's motion. . Dr Redman, who was present in order to explain to the Board, said that he had had some conversation with Dr Valentine some little ( time ago, and he was able to explain the new Bill, and with the idea of making himself acquainted with the requirements of the various districts of New Zealand, he (Dr Valentine) intended visiting every district he could. He would therefore visit) Marlborough early this year. With regard to the old men's home Dr Redman said that he had an old man in the Hospital at present, and there really was not room for him. But before pronouncing judgment on the proposal he would like to say a few words on the new Bill which was to come before Parliament next session. One of the greatest difficulties which had been experienced in New Zealand had been the overlapping of boundaries. The new Bill proposed to do away with this. The process of election would be entirely different from what it was now. It was proposed under the new Act that the members of the Central Hospital Board should be elected by vote of the ratepayers. Besides the Central Board there would be committees just as there were school committees. The Central Board, however, would have the control of the money. For this reason delegates were to go to Wellington to discuss the matter with the Inspector-General of Hospitals, who would endeavour to meet them as far as he could. For this reason he thought that it was rather premature to build an old men's home, desirable as such an institution would be. . Mr Nees thought it was easy .enough for Mr Riddell and Dr Redman to talk about postponing it but in the meantime old men were at Havelock. Mr Bragg would Hke to know if there was not any place in Picton where the old men could be boarded out. The Chairman said that Mr Blizzard thought he could find accommodation for the olcl men in Picton. Mr Riddell's motion to postpone the matter for some time was then put to the meeting and carried by 6 to 5. Mr Bragg then moved that tendcvs be called for boardine ou+ the old men at per week, and that if no satisfactory tender be received the Secretray make what arrangements he can.—Carried. A QUESTION OF SALARIES. Nurse_ Kitching wrote to the Board forwarding her resignation and asking for a testimonial. The resignation was accepted, and it was resolved, on the recommendation of Dr Redman that the testimonial be granted. While making this recommendation Dr Redman took occasion to refer to the salaries paid at the Hospital. The Matron, he thought, was quite made- ' (Uiate.lv paid for the work she had to i do. There was naturally 'a certain j amount of dissatisfaction caused, as: there was another nurse in the dis-

trict who had not had anything like i her training and was actually receiyj ing more salary. There was always a j great difficulty in getting nurses to i join the staff of the Hospital, and if j they had to send a nurse occasionally ito Havelock they would have to in- | crease the staff. \ The Chairman moved that an addition of £20 be made to the Matron's salary. This was seconded by Mr Riddell. Other members of the Board spoke in favour of the motion. Mr Nees said it was curious that the Board could talk about raising the Matron's salary to £90, while they could only give the medical man at Have Jock a paltry £30. After a little further discussion the motion was agreed to. THE X-RAYS. The Chairman stated that the doctor would like to have the authority of the Board for the purchase of an X-Rays apparatus, which would cost ! about £70. Mr Cullen had given a> ! donation to the Hospital, and he had suggested that an X-Rays apparatus be purchased. Dr Redman wished to purchase the apparatus at once. l Mr Riddell thought that an X-Raya apparatus was an absolute necessity; moreover, they had in addition to Mi* Cullen's gift, £18 as the; result of the public inspection of the Maori. This, with a subsidy of 24s in the £ would provide funds sufficient for the purchase of an apparatus. It was decided to grant authority to the doctor to purchase an X-Rays apparatus; HAVELOCK COTTAGE HOSPITAL. In regard to extra rooms required at the Hospital, Mr Price stated that the local Committee were willing to do what they could towards it. Mr H. McCormick did not think it was necessary to increase the size of the Havelock Hospital; they could not afford to run two hospitals with two separate staffs. Moreover, he thought that Picton was frequently overlooked, and that patients were kept at Havelock when they could be brought on to Picton. It was pointed out that Dr Williams, of Havelock, had resigned owing to the insufficiency of the,salary attaching to the position ._ The Chairman moved that this Board oppose any addition to the Havelock Hospital at present, and that the doctor be instructed to attend urgent cases at his ordinary fee less 3 per cent as per his offer. The motion was carried. Accounts amounting to £148 8s Sd were ' passed for payment, and the meeting then adjourned.